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Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Montreal Underworld - 'blood is being spilled again'

A homicide and an attempted murder in recent weeks are raising questions about the turmoil in the Montreal Mafia. Since the death of Vito Rizzuto in December 2013, nobody has been able to bring together all the Mafia clans in Montreal. There’s no emerging leader and that's why their situation is unstable and volatile.

Leonardo Rizzuto, 46, and longtime friend Stefano Sollecito, 48, were rounded up in a sweeping drug investigation in November 2015.

Police officers made 48 arrests as part of two investigations — Projects Magot and Mastiff — that revealed the Mafia, the Hells Angels and the city’s major street gangs were working in concert to control drug trafficking in the city and share in the profits.

Stefano Sollecito

With time and with more space to operate street gangs have evolved and have gained ground on the street — distributing drugs, and trafficking in Montreal. They have become criminal organizations that are unavoidable in Montreal in their own right. That wasn’t the case before, when it was only the West End Gang. The Crips (Blue) are the largest.

The Crack Down Posse is the largest Crips gang, which extends its influence over other gang members.

The Bloods (Red) follow. Bo-gars "veterans" or "original gangster" are probably the largest Bloods. Of many others the Surenos likely have the most numbers.

Each gang has it's own defined territory. Whoever becomes leader of the Montreal Mafia will not only have to get along with the bikers; he’ll also have to get along with the street gangs.

The Hells Angels are doing much better. They are restructuring after the 2009 Operation SharQc, where 156 Hells Angels and associates were charged. They’re rebuilding their strength and are not being decimated by attacks.

Undisputed leader is Salvatore Cazzetta, even though he is also currently in jail. The Hell Angels rely on 'puppet' clubs in Montreal. These small clubs are charged with setting up networks of drug sales and trafficking. They do it under the benediction of the Hells Angels.